LinkedIn survey: 10% Indians hopeful of tasting success within a year, double of global average

Despite pressures of a competitive job economy, one in 10 Indians feel optimistic about achieving success within one year, which is double the global average of 5 per cent, according to a LinkedIn survey on Wednesday. "The growing optimism in India`s macroeconomic environment shines through in the confidence Indian professionals feel towards achieving success," said Deepa Sapatnekar, Head of Communications for India, LinkedIn.

But instead of chasing a six-figure salary, most people in India tend to measure success on the scale of happiness and health, according to the results. "Being happy" is the ultimate definition of success for 72 per cent Indians, according to the survey commissioned by the professional social network and conducted by international research firm YouGov.

Good health (65 per cent) and a healthy work-life balance (57 per cent) also emerged as important indicators of success.     

Only 22 per cent attributed success to a "rise in paycheck" and 36 per cent defined success in terms of "earning a six-figure salary", the results showed.

"While success means many different things to different people, it is heartening to see indicators like work-life balance, family time and health taking precedence over a six-figure salary," Sapatnekar said.

The survey involved responses from over 18,000 adults from 15 other countries, including Britain, Australia and the US, besides India.

Nearly 70 per cent Indians said they felt successful and had a positive and balanced outlook on achieving success.

Among the 16 countries, Indian professionals ranked third in feeling successful, following the UAE in the first spot and Brazil in the second. 

Nearly 80 per cent respondents from India said that education plays a positive role in their ability to achieve success, along with other factors such as one`s age (61 per cent), gender (56 gender) and the career they have chosen (68 per cent), which also have a positive impact on future success. 

Around 30 per cent Indians think achieving social success is more important than achieving professional success, higher than the global average of 22 per cent, the survey showed.